How do I communicate with others in and out of high school for the future?
I'm in 11th grade and I have trouble finding connections outside of school. The only people I have to know more about life after high school are my teachers, other students, and myself. In school, my favorite subjects are Biology and History, but I don't particularly know any one who is considered professional to ask about the professions involving those things. Do I find certain people? Do I ask particular questions? Do I have to live a certain way? H E L P. #career #future #history #biology
4 answers
Adam’s Answer
For instance, dig into the ethics of cloning with the history behind Watson and Crick and the recent experiments (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_(sheep)) or dig into challenging topics like should we bring back the wooly mammoth (https://www.ted.com/talks/hendrik_poinar_bring_back_the_woolly_mammoth?language=en). History is not just the research of the past, it's your opinion and perspective that makes it interesting.
Find a medium to share that perspective:
- start a blog on Medium - it's free and easy
- create a site to share what you've found using something like Wix
- start a podcast
I think you'll find as you build up a portfolio of perspective, that people will come to you.
Nicole’s Answer
One of the best ways I have found to communicate with others in and out of high school is through volunteering my time. In general, volunteering is a great way to connect with people that you may not ordinarily meet in your every day travels. Consider giving some of your time to food banks, or tree planting or assisted living communities or other schools...and there are many other places where you can volunteer your time. If you get a chance to volunteer at those places more than once, you may be surprised at how many connections you can make and your ability to communicate with people that you share a goal with could become much stronger.
Best of luck to you!
Alyssa M.’s Answer
Whenever I'm looking to find people outside of my network, I turn to Google to help me out. Here are a few steps that you could follow to find people outside of your high school network or friend group.
1. Try to do a little research about the possible jobs for biology or history majors (or whatever you think you might be interested in). You can Google...Jobs for biology majors. The important part is to get a list of position titles for these potential jobs.
2. Once you have a list, Google the position title and your location. For example, you could type in...Biologist near Richmond, CA. Hopefully these searches will bring up some relevant people who work in the field that you're considering.
3. If you find someone who you want to reach out to, then send them an email! Tell them a little about yourself and explain why you're reaching out. Just remember to keep the email brief and professional (to learn more about networking, try reading this article: https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-perfect-email-template-for-asking-someone-kinda-random-for-help).
NOTE: If you need to find someone's email address, try looking on LinkedIn, their company website, or even Googling that person (so much Googling!).
Now, this may sound a little overwhelming but that's okay. I know adults twice your age who would find this task a bit daunting! Just remember that you are way ahead of the curve! Learning to network is an difficult but essential skill to have. Keep up the good work!
Andrew’s Answer
I think you're off to the right start and asking the right questions. You should be looking for mentors, online, in your town, place of worship, etc., and expand your network. It's never too early to establish a good and growing network.
Cheers,
Andrew